Not Here For War
by typhoidcandy
Summary: When joining the CIA, Dr. Amelia Hart never thought she'd get caught up in two men's love feud nor would she have ever dreamed she would develop deeper feelings for one of those men. Considering all that she's going through, this is the absolute last thing she wanted! Tuck/OC.
1. Summer Sun

**Not Here For War.**

**Chapter 1:** _Summer Sun._

The California sun blazed down on Amelia Hart, much to her annoyance and discomfort. She hopped out of her SUV, wiping away the light sweat that formed on her brow. She heaved out an exhausted sounding sigh as she moved around the truck.

Amelia had moved to L.A. about five months ago, and she was finding out quickly how different it was from Washington, DC. Weather wise especially. The weather she could handle, because in the end she found L.A. to be gorgeous, the blazing heat was just something she'd grow accustomed to. It was the loss and dramatic turn her life took that would have her waking up from migraines in the middle of the night. It was the stress that was wearing her down.

Five months ago, her sister Amanda and her husband Richard died in a car accident. So not only did she have to deal with the tragic loss of her sister, but as it turned out Amanda and Richard had a will naming Amelia to become the sole guardian of their two daughters, Maggie and Abby, whom she was helping out of the car right now.

"Aunt Amelia, I don't want to go to school today." Maggie, the eight year old whined as she hopped out of the truck, pout cutely formed on her face.

Amelia rolled her eyes as she helped five-year-old Abby from the truck. The little girl held tightly onto her aunt's hand as she was set to the ground. "Maggie," Amelia began exasperated as she smoothed out Abby's rumpled shirt. "You can't miss school today. In fact, you can't miss any day of school unless you're sick. Which you are not, so don't even try and play that game with me."

Maggie's pout deepened and she huffed crossing her small arms over her chest.

"Maggie, stop your pouting." Amelia demanded in a soft tone and held out her hand to the eight year old so they could cross the street to _James Monroe Elementary_. The girl continued to pout and didn't move. Amelia sighed in defeat. "Maggie… if you will please behave for the rest of the day, I'll take you and Abby out for ice cream after school."

Maggie took a moment to consider it before nodding satisfied and took her aunt's hand, while Abby happily cheered about ice cream.

After getting the girl's settled at school, Amelia drove back home. She still had a hard time calling it home. It was Amanda and Richard's house. They had paid for it and cared for it—and they had left it to Amelia in their will so she could continue to raise their children in it.

It's a medium sized blue house. Two levels. It has a good portion of land as well that was occupied with the girl's jungle gym, patio, and pool. It wasn't a difficult home to afford and care for. Though Amelia is a single woman now having two extra mouths to feed and send off to school, she finds financially it hasn't been so difficult just yet since the government also steps in to help in these sorts of situations. Not to mention the job she received with the CIA was a godsend when she moved to LA.

Being a doctor, Amelia planned on transferring from MedStar Washington Hospital to a local hospital here in LA. The first month after her sister's death, she worried because all of the closest hospitals were already fully staffed and not currently hiring. She desperately wanted to respect Amanda and Richard's wishes with keeping the girls in LA to grow up and finish school, but at one point it didn't seem like that was going to happen.

Then the CIA actually gave her a call about being their headquarters newest doctor/physician. Though she was shocked, Amelia eagerly accepted the job. It paid well and there were benefits. And they even gave her the time to settle in with Maggie and Abby. It wasn't a bad deal at all and she almost couldn't believe how lucky she had been in that front.

Today is going to be her first day at work. As she walked into the house, she contemplates what she should wear. She's not entirely sure what the dress code is with the CIA. She decided on a conservative gray dress and of course her white lab coat. She's a bit unsure of the black stilettos she's wearing, but she likes to be a little stylish. She just hopes her new boss isn't absurdly conservative. She once worked in a hospital that hardly allowed anyone to _**not**_ wear scrubs at all times. That was in the beginning of her career, and oh! How she hated it.

Glancing up at the clock, she saw she has another hour to kill before she's supposed to be at headquarters. She figured that she should get there earlier to set up her new office and meet her new boss in person. She's only spoken to Ms. Collins a few times over the phone, and they were very brief conversations.

* * *

Walking into CIA headquarters with her box of supplies for her office was a bit nerve wrecking. This was a whole new ball game for Amelia. She had always worked in hospitals, never a government agency! She's surprised they even called her—she never even applied here. Although lately, she's been thrown into a lot of new things and put into a bunch of new ball games—such as parenthood.

Yet Amelia Hart kept her head up and a kind smile on her face as she passed by actual CIA agents. Never let anyone tell you that Amelia Hart wasn't brave for she has proven many times in her thirty-one years of life how damn brave she can be.

However, when she felt a hand firmly on her shoulder, she nearly screamed. It comes out more as a strangled gasp when she turned to face her 'assailant'.

A tall dark skinned woman stood before her in a conservative gray business suit. Her arms were crossed over her chest and a hard eyebrow was raised. Her expression was deadly serious. "Dr. Amelia Hart?" She questioned and Amelia nodded quickly. "You're here early. Welcome to CIA headquarters. I'm Collins. Follow me to my office." She said before swiftly turning on her heel motioning for the doctor to follow.

Amelia eyed her box of supplies, which seemed to be getting heavier by the second in her arms. Yet she scurried after her new boss not wanting to make a bad impression.

"You can put that down." Collins gestured to the box and motioned to one of the chairs in her office.

Amelia gratefully set the box down. "Oh, thank you, Ms. Collins."

"Just Collins, Dr. Hart." The woman responded leaning against her desk, arms once again crossed. "Now, I am well aware of the situation with your sister and nieces," she paused a moment. "My condolences." She said after consideration. "We are usually moderate with the time of absence for our workers. We're also very strict with our rules. Considering that you are not an agent and working in our medical field where we have plenty of back up, your time off can be flexible. Being a single parent, we understand that there will be emergencies. However, I want you to understand that I will not tolerate lateness. I expect you to be here on time and if you cannot be I expect you to call your supervisor to let him know." Collin stated in her firm authoritative tone.

"I completely understand." Amelia said with a nod.

"Good. Also, as I'm sure you already know, you'll be working under Dr. Rosenburg. You will be taking more of the younger agents as patients, but age ranges could be sporadic between the both of you depending on who's on the clock. There are some low level doctors and then there are trainees, so I don't think you'll ever get too overwhelmed." Amelia nodded again in understanding. "Do you have any questions, Dr. Hart?"

Amelia considered it. Most questions she would have most likely were better directed towards Dr. Rosenburg, her supervisor.

"Do I…" She trailed off wondering if this was a silly question, but Collins motioned for her to continue. "Um, do I have to do any type of… _special _training?"

Surprisingly, Collins smiled somewhat. "Getting trained in self defense is entirely up to you. We have a list of recommended places for that. You are not an agent, Dr. Hart, and we have no intention of putting you in any danger. I recommend knowledge in self defense, but like I said, it's up to you." Amelia smiled and nodded once more. "Anymore questions?"

Amelia was almost tempted to ask why she was hired for this job in the first place. She had never applied, but when someone called and told her that they were looking for someone for the job, they explained that they look through the applicants of overstaffed hospitals to see who was available. Still, she found it a bit odd that they picked her out of what she was sure were many applicants.

"No, ma'am. Thank you." She responded reaching her hand out for her boss to shake.

Collins stood at her full height and towered over the small brunette. Amelia was slightly embarrassed, but most people do tower over her 5'2 form even when she donned on heels. Collins' handshake is firm and Amelia was impressed with how strong the woman is.

Box back in her arms; Amelia was escorted out of the office by Collins who went over by the rail and yelled for two agents to go into her office. The doctor attempted to scurry away for that one. It didn't sound like it would be a pleasant conversation.

"Dr. Hart," Collins demanding voice stopped her in her tracks. Amelia quickly turned around to find another small smile on the other woman's lips. "Nice shoes."

* * *

**A/N**: Alright, so this is going to be my first multi-chaptered fic I've written in a long time, and I'm writing this mainly for my own pleasure. I know that a lot of mistakes are going to be made especially since I'm not all that knowledgeable in the medical field or in the CIA. Most information I'm getting is from the internet, but if you see any noticeable mistakes, please don't hesitate to let me know, I appreciate advice!

**EDIT**: So, I did a bit of an edit and tried keeping the format in one tense. Decided on past tense. I apologize if it's still confusing or annoying to anyone, but I tried fixing the issue.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own _This Means War_ or any of it's characters. I only own the OC's that will be seen and mentioned in this fan fiction.

**Chapter Song**: Summer Sun by Jukebox the Ghost


	2. Yellow Light

**Not Here For War.**

**Chapter 2:** _Yellow Light_.

The first day of work hadn't been all that bad. Basically the day had consisted of setting up her new office, meeting some of the agents, other members of the medical staff and Dr. Rosenburg. Her supervisor is a kind man with short cropped graying hair and a perfectly shaped mustache. He looked to be in his mid-fifties yet very healthy looking. They had discussed how things were going to go about.

Afterwards, she picked up the girls from school and they did indeed go out for ice cream. Then they took out the pull out bed and fell asleep watching Disney movies.

In the morning, they woke up to the alarm Amelia set on her phone. It was the same routine then—make the girls breakfast, pack up their lunch, get them dressed for school, buckled them safely into the truck, convinced Maggie that going to school wasn't so bad which ended in the bribery of ice cream again, going home and cleaned up some in the house, and then finally headed off to work.

The second day was going to be nothing like the first day, however. The moment she stepped into her office, Dr. Rosenburg tapped at her door.

"Good morning, Dr. Hart." The elder man greeted kindly.

Amelia smiled warmly in return. "Good morning, Dr. Rosenburg. How are you doing today?"

"I'm doing quite well, thank you, dear." He responded stepping further into the office. "So as we discussed yesterday, the agents are to receive their annual physical exams. Since there are so many agents and only two of us today, this may go on until tomorrow."

She nodded once. "Of course."

"Alright, meet me in the exam room in ten minutes so we can prep."

Amelia and Dr. Rosenburg split the amount of agents they were to exam by age range. She took 20-30's and he took 40-50's+.

She found that she didn't mind the agents so much. Though most of them seemed quite shocked that such a young looking doctor was working for the CIA. Yet some of them congratulated her and wished her luck. One woman even offered to give her some self-defense lessons.

She kept the agents card in her pocket.

After doing ten exams, Amelia was beginning to feel exhausted. She was ready to go home and snuggle up with her girls, whom were being picked up by their baby sitter today.

She was prepping the room for her next patient when two men bursted into the room seeming to be in deep conversation.

She looked to both men wide eyed and cleared her throat trying to gain their attention. The men trailed off in their conversation looking over to her and their jaws slackened a bit. The taller one even let out a low 'whoa'.

Suddenly feeling self conscious, Amelia tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear and chuckled nervously.

"So… ah, I don't usually take two at a time." She said and they continued to stare at her. "Well, except that one time in college." They said nothing still and she felt herself become more nervous. "That was a joke." Silence continued to fill the room and she became uncomfortable under their shocked staring. Amelia clasped her hands together in front of her and awkwardly stated, "Well, it's a good thing I didn't go the comedian route in college like I wanted to."

Snapping out of it, both men stopped gawking at her.

"I am terribly sorry about that." The shorter man said straightening and reached out his hand towards her to shake. "I'm Agent Tuck Hansen."

"And I am FDR." The taller one stated, taking her hand and planted a kiss on it before she could shake Tuck's hand, which earned a glare from the other agent and an odd look from the doctor. FDR just continued to smile charmingly.

Amelia cleared her throat. "I'm Dr. Amelia Hart."

"Like the pilot?" FDR questioned, eyebrows scrunched slightly.

She raised a brow. "That would be Amelia _Ear_hart, but I suppose I can understand the mistake." She responded amused then turned to retrieve something from the lower cabinet.

Both Tuck and FDR managed to look away as she bent over, her dress becoming noticeably tighter at her backside. When she stood back up and saw they were both still there, her brow rose again. "You know, one of you has to leave."

Snapping out of it again, FDR was the one who decided to leave and pat Tuck on the shoulder. "Good luck, man." He said then left the exam room silently closing the door behind him.

There was an awkward silence between the doctor and agent for a long moment before Amelia smiled kindly. "Please, stand on the scale, Agent Hansen." She gestured to the scale and Tuck nodded doing as he was told. She grabbed her clipboard and balanced the dials and recorded his height and weight for her file. "Alright, now if you'll please take a seat." She motioned to the exam table and he did so without question. "I'll be taking some blood in a few moments. You've fasted, correct?"

He nodded. "I have."

"Okay, good." She checked his ears and mouth quickly, seeing no infections or anything out of sorts there. "I'm going to check your blood pressure now." She said pointing to his bicep, which he willing gave. Gently, she took his well-toned arm and wrapped the sphygmomanometer around it. As she pumped the device, Amelia noticed Tuck stared at her intensely. "You know, it's a bit rude to be staring like that." She stated not stopping her work on him.

As if she snapped him out of his reverie, he stammered, "I… uh, I apologize. I just… forgive me, but how old are you exactly?"

Amelia actually laughed a little. "I am thirty-one years old."

Tucked looked at her with disbelief and she nearly laughed again. She got this a lot. She's always had a baby face. "Now that I refuse to believe. You can't be thirty-one."

She grinned releasing the pump and removed the wrap from his arm. "Would you like to see my birth certificate?" She questioned playfully.

"I just might have to. You could be an imposter." He teased back.

"I think the big boss already took care of my background check." She said chuckling softly. "You're blood pressure is very good, by the way."

"That's lovely to hear." He responded, grinning.

She asked him a few questions about his health as she prepared the needle to take his blood. He seemed to be in perfect shape health wise. Most of the agents did. She took his arm again, and found his vein easily. "Oh, you have wonderful veins!" She told him without thinking.

He laughed. "I've received many compliments in my life, though never once about my veins."

They both smiled at each other and Amelia mentally slapped herself when she realized they were flirting. She knew better than to flirt with coworkers or patients! But oh, she couldn't deny that Agent Hansen was attractive and his accent had her knees nearly turned into jelly.

Amelia straightened up then and suddenly became serious and professional. She finished Tuck's exam as quickly as she could.

And then came FDR.

Though he was attractive—very attractive—Amelia quickly became annoyed and frustrated with his flirting. If this were under different circumstances, a different place, and a different time, she maybe wouldn't have minded too much flirting with FDR, and Tuck for that matter.

"So, how long have you been working here?" FDR asked as she wrapped the band around his arm about ready to take his blood.

"I started yesterday." She responded simply. Before she prepared the needle, she needed to get something off of her chest. "Look, I want to make something perfectly clear to you. I'm not here for romance or flings or one-night stands or anything like that. I'm here to be a doctor and I plan to keep any relationships I make here strictly professional. So, flirt with me all you'd like because I get the feeling that's in your nature, but don't try and pick me up. It's not going to happen. I have big responsibilities, there's not time for 'fun' with me. Got it?"

Amelia hadn't meant to sound so harsh and felt guilt form in the pit of her stomach at the expression on FDR's face. He looked somewhat hurt and yet there was an understanding in his eyes. She didn't think that he actually understood what she was going through, but she knew that he understood her seriousness.

"Yeah, got it, Doc." He responded with a short nod.

She nodded back. "Okay, good." She said and then began to take his blood.

Since becoming sole guardian of Maggie and Abby, something in Amelia changed. She used to flirt a lot and went out on plenty of dates, even had some one-night stands. Yet she had given up her entire life up in DC for those girls. She had done it without hesitation, because she would do anything for Amanda and she would die for her nieces. She wasn't going to mess this up for anything.

Her girls come before everything.

* * *

Tuck was at his desk staring intensely at his computer screen when FDR returned.

"Hey, what're you up to?" FDR asked plopping down at his own desk.

"Um, not much." Tuck answered glancing away from his screen only a moment.

The fact was Tuck was a bit shamed that he just did a background check on Dr. Amelia Hart. It wasn't that he didn't trust her; in fact, he was quite interested in her. She's beautiful, intelligent, and seemed to be quite funny. He's been interested in dating again, and he's pretty sure he'd like to start that with the new doctor. The shame he felt came when he read about why she was here in LA in the first place.

He certainly knew what it was like to have parenthood unexpectedly thrust upon you, but not like how Amelia had it brought to her. It was tragic, and yet Amelia seemed like quite a sane and happy person, which he believed showed her strength.

"You're looking pretty deep in thought there, buddy." FDR interrupted his thoughts.

Tuck glanced over again to see his partner looking at him concerned. "I've, uh… been thinking about dating again." He responded honestly. He's thought about it for a while now.

FDR actually smiled at that. "I think that's a great idea!"

"Really?" Tucked asked.

"Yeah. It's about time you got laid again." FDR said as he began typing at his computer.

"Ha-ha, very funny." He said rolling his eyes before becoming serious again. "I was actually thinking of asking the new doctor—Amelia—out on a date."

FDR stopped typing suddenly. "Not a good idea." He said turning in his chair so he faced his best friend across the room.

Tuck frowned. "Why? Why wouldn't it be a good idea?"

"Well, while I was getting my exam, I was putting on the ol' FDR charm. And well—she just wasn't interested." He responded with a shrug. He wouldn't let that bother him too much.

Tuck rolled his eyes again. "Just because she's not interested in _**you**_, doesn't mean she's not interested in dating. You don't flirt with your doctor while they're giving you an exam anyway." He said despite the fact that he flirted a bit with the good doctor himself.

"I guess that's true." FDR said though he looked unconvinced. "But then she told me that she intends to keep all relationships she makes here at the CIA strictly professional. So, if you're thinking of getting back into the dating game, it's not going to be with her."

There was a surge of disappointment in the Brit. "She really said that?"

"Yup." FDR stated making a puckering sound at the 'p' before he typed away at his computer again.

Tuck looked at his computer screen again. There was a picture of Amelia in her lab coat, forced smile on her face. Obviously, the picture had been taken for an ID card of some sort. It disappointed him because she seemed like such a good person—after all, who left their entire life in DC behind to step in and take care of their deceased sisters children? A good person. But he figured she had bigger responsibilities now and didn't quite have the time for dating.

Tuck, however, was very ready to date. He figured joining that dating website wasn't such a terrible idea now after all.

* * *

When Amelia returned home, she was exhausted and completely ready to fall into bed.

"Aunt Amelia!" Maggie and Abby yelled in unison when she stepped into the living room where they were watching a movie with their baby sitter. Their little arms wrap around her small waist and Amelia suddenly forgot all about her tiredness when she hugged her girls back.

"Hello, my loves. How was your day? Oh, why aren't you in your jammies yet?" She asked and glanced at the clock, which read nine o'clock.

"We were watching a movie with Martha." Maggie exclaimed. Martha, the girl's baby sitter, got up from the couch with a kind smile on her face.

Martha was a middle-aged woman who used to work at a daycare. Her hair was a dyed blond color, light wrinkles were beginning to form at the edge of her eyes and the corners of her lips, and she had the brightest blue eyes. Amelia hired her for her experience with children and for her unyielding warmth. The woman was very kind and loved children automatically. The girls seemed to like her too. From what she knew, Martha was a single mother of three children. They were all adults now, the last one just off to college.

"Alright then, go on upstairs and get dressed for bed. We can finish watching the movie and then it's bedtime." Amelia told them. The girls agreed before they scurried to their room.

"You know, you're doing really well with those girls." Martha said as Amelia turned and smiled at the woman.

The smile faltered somewhat. The self-conscious part of Amelia didn't think she was doing so great a job. She wasn't their mother. She never could be. She wasn't a parent. She had been married to her job back in DC. Of course, she had been on plenty of dates and had some boyfriends, but the issue came down to her job—it was more important to her than any relationship. Then Amanda and Richard died and everything about her life changed. The only thing that matter to her then was Maggie and Abby, but no matter what, she didn't think she could ever be what they needed—their mother.

Despite herself, Amelia continued to smile politely. "Thank you, Martha…" She trailed off and eyed the hallway the girls just went down as she heard them moving around in their room. "Has… has Abby spoken to you at all today?"

Martha frowned and shook her head. "No. She would only talk to Maggie still."

Since her parent's death, Abby had become rather quiet. She would talk to anyone besides Maggie or Amelia. The doctors said that it was a coping mechanism and that Abby was simply sticking to what she was familiar with. They were putting her through therapy, but Amelia only allowed it for once a week, twice a week tops. She didn't think it right for a five year old to be going to a therapist so much.

Amelia sighed deeply, but suddenly smiled again when the girls came back into the living room. "Alright, girls, say goodnight to Martha."

It was Maggie who did so, but Abby at least waved at Martha when she left.

They finished watching the movie, which was _James and the Giant Peach_ in content. Yet there was still the lingering worry in Amelia for her girls. She wanted so much for things to get better for them, but how could they when their parents were gone?

It never quite crossed her mind completely that she was their parent now; no matter how unfit she may have thought she was.

* * *

**A/N:** Alright, so I feel like I should state that the romance between Tuck and Amelia isn't really going to be happening until later chapters. There will be some tension and stuff, but the romance won't really be happening until later. Also, I'm not entirely sure about the timing in the movie so I'm mostly going to be making assumptions with that and it may sometimes be inaccurate. Apologies ahead of time!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _This Means War_ or any of it's characters. I only own the OC's that will be seen and mentioned in this fan fiction.

**Chapter Song:** Yellow Light by Of Monsters and Men


	3. Carnival

**Not Here For War.**

**Chapter 3: **_Carnival._

The week passed quite well for Amelia work wise. She was getting along great with her co-workers and she even made some friends with the agents. She was amazed with how she was able to do this job with such ease. Yes, she's a doctor and completely professional, but she's constantly reminded that she was working with people who could kill without even flinching. She would try and not stare at the guns on their belts. However, she was quickly growing used to it and that in itself was a tad bit disturbing to her.

Today had been a quiet day at work as Amelia worked over some papers—the agent's results from their physical exams. Everyone one of them was at top health. Only some suffered from either high blood pressure or sugar. Nothing that couldn't be straightened up with a healthier diet.

She was writing down some results for Collins when two agents burst into her office. Amelia supposed she shouldn't be surprised that it was agents' Tuck and FDR.

Yet she smiled kindly at the two men and stood from her desk. "I see you two have a habit of entering rooms together—and not knocking."

Her smile faltered when she saw the men didn't seem too happy and actually seemed uncomfortable in each other's presence. A stark contrast from the first time she met them. She found it a bit odd for partners to have this uncomfortable air about them.

"I see my comedian streak is still poor." She said awkwardly shifting in her stilettos and shoving her hands in her lab coat pockets.

"Uh, we've just come for our exam results." It's FDR who spoke and Tuck gave him a dark look.

She eyed them a moment longer before she nodded once. "Of course." She responded seriously and going to her desk to go through her files, and picked theirs out. "Alright, so your results are excellent. You're both in perfect health." She told them handing them each a sheet. "I've… uh, made you copies of your results in case you're interested in taking a look yourself."

"Thank you." FDR said sharply and snatched the paper from her and left the office quickly.

Amelia was more than a little shocked and she looked to Tuck for an explanation. He at least looked shamed on his partner's behalf.

"I apologize for that, Dr. Hart. We aren't exactly having a good day and we're pretty wound tight with being grounded." Tuck said taking the sheet from her. He's upset that his friend had taken out his frustration of the issues they had of Lauren on Amelia.

She nodded once. "Alright then."

There was a long silence between them and Amelia was expecting him to leave. However, he lingered and pointed to something on her desk.

"Are those your children?" He asked gesturing to the picture of Maggie and Abby on her desk. They had been on the beach with their parents that day. It had been taken a year before the tragedy. They were happy and Amelia wanted to see that everyday.

Tuck very well knew who the girls were. He had never seen them, but he knew of them from reading on her biography. However, he wasn't about to admit to her that he did in fact do a background check on her. He was sure the doctor wouldn't have appreciated him digging his nose into her personal life.

Amelia smiled fondly at the picture before her eyes returned on Tuck. "Oh no, those are my nieces—Maggie and Abby. I'm actually their guardian. So… I guess in a way they are my children." She shrugged still very unconvinced of that.

Tuck smiled gently. "It sounds to me like they are."

Despite herself, Amelia's smile grew at that. "Do you have any children, agent Hansen?" She asked conversationally.

"Please, just call me Tuck." He said despite knowing that this woman wanted to keep things professional. "And yes, I have a son named Joe. He's seven." He beamed as he spoke of his son, yet there was a sadness in his eyes as well.

"You and his mother are separated?" Amelia asked suddenly. Tuck's eyes landed on hers sharply and she blushed when she realized her mistake. "I am so sorry about that. I just… I just noticed the lingering sadness… and, I'm so sorry. That was inappropriate of me." She said quickly, very much embarrassed with herself.

He laughed softly and motioned for her to relax. "That's alright. You just took me by surprise. You have some good observational skills. You could be a detective."

Amelia outright laughed and shook her head. "Oh, I'm not so sure about that. I don't think I could ever have the mentality for that—though, in a way being a doctor is almost like being a detective. I mean it is our job to detect if there is a problem within a person. But we have machines to help with that so it's probably not like detective work at all—and I am completely rambling right now, aren't I?" She asked noticing the amused smile on his face.

"Just a bit." He answered grinning.

She laughed again and crossed her arms over her chest. Once again, she realized what was happening here and she strongly pushed away the butterfly feeling in her stomach. She firmly reminded herself that she needed to stop flirting with this man. That she has no time to be flirting with anyone. But the smile on her face refused to falter.

"I, uh…" Tuck began in a stammer and rubbed the back of his neck. "I should go now."

Amelia swallowed the disappointment and she forced her smile to be kind. She told herself that she wasn't upset. At all. "Of course. I'll see you around. Hopefully not too much though because that would probably mean you're injured. And we don't want that." She rambled again.

Tuck found he didn't mind her ramblings. In fact, he found it endearing, which made him want to leave the office all the more. He reminded himself of Lauren and the idiotic 'gentlemen's agreement'. Lauren. She was what mattered right now.

"Thank you, Dr. Hart." He said before he hastily exited the office.

Amelia let out a deep sigh. This was exactly why she wanted to keep all relationships here professional. She didn't need the complications nor did she need that pesky butterfly feeling that was still fluttering around in her stomach.

She wasn't some teenage girl gushing over her first crush. She's a doctor, dammit!

* * *

There were bright lights and excited shouting. There were victory cheers and large stuffed animals being handed out. There were clouds of cotton candy melting in happy mouths and the delicious aroma of popcorn popping in the air.

Amelia hadn't realized how much she missed going to carnivals until she stepped foot into this one. She hadn't been to one since she was a kid!

It was a spur of the moment decision to come here. When she had come home from work, the girls seemed bored. Like complained about every little thing bored. She remembered Martha mentioning about a carnival being in town and then that was it. They were buckled in the truck and off to the carnival. She had even invited Martha along for some fun.

The babysitter was actually with the girls now at the bathrooms while Amelia purchased the tokens. She was grinning like a fool too. She was childishly excited about being here. She felt like a little girl again and she hadn't felt like that in a very long time.

As she headed towards the restrooms, she checked out every ride she passed and decided she was going to ride every one of them.

"Dr. Hart?" A voice from behind her exclaimed.

Amelia swiftly turned to find the smiling face of Tuck Hansen. And the smiling face of the blond woman holding his hand.

She quickly plastered on a smile and pushed away the jealous feeling that was creeping up on her. "Oh hello, agent Hansen."

The blond woman grinned. "I didn't realize even travel agents were addressed as 'agent' outside of work." She said to Tuck amused.

Amelia raised a brow at that and Tuck chuckled nervously.

"Ah, yes. Dr. Hart is quite professional." Tuck told the blond and Amelia was still quite confused. "Lauren, this is my doctor, Amelia Hart. Dr. Hart, this is Lauren Scott, my… my date."

Amelia stared at the two for a moment. It hit her that Tuck was lying to his date about who he really was. She understood. She understood why he was doing it. His job was dangerous, very dangerous. He must have to lie to people, probably even his loved ones, to protect them. She found that a bit sad and she made the hasty decision to go along with his lie.

"Hello, Lauren. It's a pleasure to meet you." She finally acknowledged, reaching out her hand for the other woman to shake.

Lauren's smile was very kind as she shook Amelia's hand. Despite that lingering jealousy, she couldn't bring herself to dislike Lauren. Kindness seemed to radiate off of her, and though she doesn't know Tuck very well, Amelia thought that this was what he deserved. She just hoped that his 'career' wouldn't ruin this.

"Alright, well I've gotta go find my girls and their babysitter now. You two have fun!" She said kindly to the couple.

"You too, Dr. Hart." Tuck responded with a grin.

"Oh, we're in an unprofessional environment now, Tuck. You may call me, Amelia."

She had no idea why she said that. She didn't mean to. The words just came tumbling out of her mouth like word vomit. But Tuck continued to smile at her and it was much too late to take it back so she smiled back.

"You've got it, Amelia." She tried to ignore the fact that her name sounded so wonderful with his accent. "I'll see you next check up."

Amelia simply nodded and waved them off as they went their separate ways. With a heavy sigh, she bought some cotton candy and headed off to find her girls again. When she did, they stole her cotton candy to which she pouted at them childishly, earning the wonderful sound of giggles from her beautiful auburn haired girls.

They dared her to go on nearly all the rides they saw, including some of the kiddy ones.

Amelia had a wonderful time and so had the girls. They all laughed much more than they ever had these past five months.

* * *

"I'm telling you, Martha, I'm lost!" Amelia nearly yelled into her Bluetooth as she drove down the unfamiliar street.

"I don't understand how you can be lost. Didn't your navigation system re-route you?" Martha questioned exasperated.

Leaving work today had been something of an adventure/disaster. There had been a car accident on her usual route home so she had to take a detour. Her navigation system went all wonky and sent her into some district she had no idea about.

"I don't know where this stupid thing sent me, Martha!" Amelia responded seething with frustration. "You know what, I'm doing this the old fashioned way and asking for directions. I'll call you back."

It took Amelia a total of ten minutes to find a parking spot. This was a busy street filled with restaurants, clubs, and bars. Finding a place that wasn't dark and pounding with music was proving to be difficult.

But she finally found a quieter place where someone was able to give her directions back home. Gratefully giving her thanks, she began to exit the restaurant.

She stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of FDR with a blond woman. Not just any blond woman either. Amelia recognized that it was Tuck's date from the carnival two nights ago—she recalled her name being Lauren. She and FDR seemed to be arguing.

Amelia managed to hold back a gasp when they kissed. And it was some _heavy_ kissing.

She flew out the back door of the restaurant and practically ran to her truck. She wanted to pretend that she never saw a thing. After all, Tuck and Lauren had only gone out on a date as far as she knew. It could have been nothing serious and they went their separate ways. But there was a nagging feeling in the back of her mind that she couldn't shake off.

She's reminded of why she wanted to keep strictly professional relationships with her co-workers/patients. She didn't want their issues stressing her out.

And Amelia knew this was going to stress her out. She wasn't going to let it go.

* * *

**A/N:** So, I don't know how well I'm doing with this, it's still the beginning and I haven't done this in a long time, but I just want to thank the people who have reviewed so far. They're very much appreciated!

Also, to answer the 'anonymous' question; yes, I do have a face claim for Amelia. It's Rachel Bilson. As for the girls; Alissa Skovbye for Maggie and Josie/Lucy Gallina for Abby. As for Dr. Rosenburg, I was thinking Tom Selleck, at least that was the image that kept coming to my mind as I wrote him. And I don't really have one for Martha. I just kept getting this image of my Walking for Wellness professor back when I was in college, not that that's helpful! XP

**Disclaimer**: I do not own _This Means War_ or any of it's characters. I only own the OC's that will be seen and mentioned in this fan fiction.

**Chapter Song:** Carnival (Acoustic) by The Cranberries


	4. Push

**Not Here For War.**

**Chapter** **4:** _Push._

The following two days had been nothing but stressful for Amelia, and it was hardly because of the issue with Tuck and FDR (though that still strongly lingered about in her mind). Today Amelia had to miss her lunch break for a parent-teacher meeting with Abby's Kindergarten teacher.

Miss Robins was younger looking, maybe only a little older than Amelia herself. Her hair was a silky blond and so perfectly straight, swept over her shoulder in a loose pony tail. She dressed in white tennis shoes, casual tan pants, and a light purple blouse. Amelia felt only somewhat uncomfortable in her black sleeveless skater dress and gray heels. She had decided to leave the lab coat in the truck.

"Mrs. Hart, I asked you to come here today because I'm worried about Abby." Miss Robins stated in an overly sweet tone. Amelia didn't bother to correct the teacher on her title. "She hardly ever speaks, even when spoken to. She hasn't even made one friend this year. That's very concerning to see in a five year old girl."

Amelia frowned. "I understand your concern, Miss Robins. Abby's been going through a lot. The therapists say that it's quite normal after a child loses their parents that they want to stick with what and who they know."

Miss Robins nodded but she didn't look exactly cheered over this. "Hmm. Well, I don't find that allowing Abby to seclude herself is helpful to her mental health. I think that there should be a change there."

Amelia's jaw nearly dropped. "I'm… I'm not encouraging Abby to seclude herself. She has therapy sessions once sometimes even twice a week."

"Perhaps more sessions would be helpful?" The teacher suggested, sweet tone and judging eyes.

"I don't think it would be beneficial for a five year old to be spending most of her time in a therapists office."

"Well, she doesn't seem to be spending her time doing much else, Mrs. Hart."

"It's _Dr._ Hart," Amelia snapped, eyes blazing. "And excuse you, but you have no idea what Abby does outside of school. I understand that there is an issue with her. Trust me, I do. Your mistake is thinking that I'm not doing everything I can without compromising her young mind. I apologize if you feel that what I'm doing for my niece isn't enough for you." She seethed in a calm tone.

Amelia was far from calm, however. She was furious. Furious with this woman and her judgmental suggestions. Furious with herself for not doing enough to help Abby. Furious with the world. She almost wanted to jump over this desk and smack the fake cheeriness from the young teacher's face. Though she had enough mind to know that getting the girls potentially kicked of school wasn't going to be helpful to anyone.

Miss Robins blinked once looking positively shocked. "Mrs—I mean, Dr. Hart, I'm not trying to attack you here. I called you here because I was concerned and I was hoping that we could do something to help poor Abby."

"Don't do that." Amelia grounded out. "Don't call Abby 'poor'. Yes, something extremely tragic happened in her life, but don't say that she's poor because she has me as a replacement parent."

The teacher gawked. "That is not what I mea—"

"Yes. Yes, it was what you meant." Amelia interrupted standing from her seat abruptly and flinging her purse around her shoulder. She planned on making some witty comment, but instead she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Have a good day, Miss Robins."

With that, the doctor hastily left James Monroe Elementary.

* * *

The moment she stepped foot back into headquarters, Amelia was very much reminded of another stressor in her life—the Tuck and FDR situation. She had been avoiding the two men like the plague since finding out they were dating the same woman, which surprisingly proved difficult because 1) She had to pass by their office in order to get to hers and 2) Tuck has apparently been looking for her. According to Dr. Rosenburg, Tuck had stopped by Medical asking for her.

The last thing she wanted was to face either man. She didn't know how to face those two men knowing what she knew. She could potentially ruin their friendship and partnership! Dating the same woman could easily destroy what the two agents had. Amelia did not want to be the bearer of that devastating news.

This was **_not_** the kind of stress Amelia needed at her place of work, especially after today's meeting with Abby's teacher.

It all had the doctor currently pacing in her office contemplating what type of action she should take. On one hand, she could just ignore it. _It's none of my business anyway. _She thought, turning on her heel and paced to the other side of the room. But it was going to keep bothering her until she exploded. On the other hand, she could tell one of them what was going on and of course that would bring the possible ending of their friendship/partnership.

Along with the issue she just made with Miss Robins today, Amelia could already feel the massive headache coming. She was thinking far too much on this situation.

She ceased her pacing and grabbed some Aspirins from her desk.

There was suddenly a knock on her door.

"Come in!" She called out, shaking two pills into her palm.

As fate would have it, one of the very people she was avoiding walked into her office.

"Tuck." She acknowledged shocked. She fixed herself quickly and smiled somewhat. "I mean, Agent Hansen. What, uh… what brings you to my office?"

Tuck smiled kindly and he closed the door behind him, stepping further into the office. "Dr. Hart." He acknowledged in return. "I've been trying to talk to you these past few days."

"Oh, have you now?" She asked and did her best to ignore the guilt that was building inside of her.

"Yes. I just wanted to thank you for going along with me on what I've had to tell Lauren. I'm sure that seemed quite strange." He said, his smile turning shy. "I don't really enjoy lying about it, but I don't have much of a choice in the matter. This job… could be a potential danger to my loved ones."

"It's alright. I completely understand." She told him and her smile faltered as that terrible feeling grew in her stomach. "Is… is, um, Lauren a loved one now?"

Tuck blushed and even ducked his head at the question. He looked like a schoolboy with a crush, and Amelia thought it was adorable. "Ah… I'm not so sure yet. I'm hoping so. I really like her."

Amelia gulped. She really didn't want to hear that. It only intensified that dreadful feeling in the pit of her stomach. She felt so bad and she didn't want to break the news to him. But she had to. She felt that it was the right thing to do.

"Um, Tuck. There's something I have to tell you." She started nervously.

He suddenly looked concerned as he watched her put the Aspirin down on the desk and crossed her arms over her chest. "What is it?"

The more she looked at him, the more Amelia was losing her nerve. Tuck seemed like such a sweet and good man. It hurt her to have to tell him that he and his best friend were with the same woman.

"Um… the other night I saw something…" She trailed off not sure how to continue. Yet Tuck waited patiently, storm colored eyes watching her with soft concern. "I really do hate saying this, but I saw FDR and Lauren together. And they were… kissing… a lot."

Tuck rightfully looked shocked to hear that. "Oh…"

Amelia couldn't stand that crushed look on his face. "Look, he probably doesn't even know that you and Lauren are dating. This is all probably some big misunderstanding." She amends hoping to reassure him in some way.

"No, he knows." Tuck responded much to her disbelief.

"I… excuse me?" She asked very much stumped.

Tucked rubbed the back of his neck, an abashed expressed forming on his face. "FDR know that I am dating Lauren. And I know that he is dating her."

That only caused more confusion on Amelia's part. "Wait… you're both dating—_**knowingly**_ dating the same woman?"

"Erm… yes."

"Does… does she know?"

"No!" Tuck answered quickly. "No, Lauren has no idea that Frank and I know each other. It's… it's all quite complicated." Amelia said nothing, simply watched him expectantly. It was none of her business, but still she waited for him to explain this confusion to her. "Lauren and I met through a dating website. FDR wanted to watch over the date, instead he waited at a video store down the street from where Lauren and I had our date and then…" He trailed off with a frown and she almost felt sorry for him. Almost. "Um, we've just recently found out that we've been seeing the same woman, and we've decided to let her choose. We have a 'gentlemen's agreement'."

Amelia blinked once. "A gentlemen's agreement? And what does that entail?"

She doesn't know why she asked. She's not so sure she even wanted to know. For someone who wanted to keep things professional, she asked some personal questions.

Tuck wasn't so sure why he decided to tell this all to the doctor. He and FDR had decided to keep this between themselves. But for some reason, he felt that he owed Amelia some explanation.

"The agreement is that we don't know each other, we stay out of each other's way, and… and, um, no sex. Also, if it starts to effect our friendship, we walk away."

Amelia was speechless at first. _**This**_ was what she had stressed out over these past few days? Over something as silly as two men fighting over a woman?

"That is one of the most disgusting things I have ever heard." She finally said in a clipped tone and she adamantly ignored the shocked expression on Tuck's face.

She wasn't quite sure why she felt so angry at Tuck. None of this was her business. What Tuck, FDR, and their girlfriend Lauren decided to do with their lives was absolutely none of her concern. In the end, she knew that most of her anger wasn't towards Tuck. It was towards her ever growing stress. She was still waking up from migraines in the middle of the night. She knew that she wasn't well and that she hasn't been since her sister passed. Today's meeting with Miss Robins just made it grow. Now this situation was the clincher for her.

"Amelia, I—"

"I think that you should leave my office now, Agent Hansen." She interrupted him and nodded towards the door.

Tuck wanted to say something to defend himself. He kept his mouth firmly shut though, but he stayed in the office for a moment longer. Stormy blue hues bored into dark brown ones, as if trying to speak to her through sight. Even then, she was withering with anger and judgment. He wasn't blind. He saw the dark circles under her eyes she tried to conceal with makeup. He clearly noticed the Aspirin's she was about to take before he came in. She's stressed. Overly stressed, even. He didn't know if it was over her new job with the CIA, something in her personal life, or if it actually was his and FDR's situation. Maybe it was a mixture of all of those things. He knew better than to comment on it now.

Silently, Tuck left Amelia's office and gently closed the door behind him.

Amelia stared at the closed door for a long moment before she sighed deeply and plopped down in her chair. She took the two Aspirin's and popped them into her mouth, swallowing them dryly. She felt like an absolute idiot. She just meddled herself into someone else's business and then completely judged them for it. She didn't approve of what Tuck and FDR were doing with Lauren, and she didn't so much approve of Lauren knowingly dating two men at the same time, but Amelia knew she had no right to do what she just did.

With that now heavy on her mind, Amelia pinched the bridge of her nose and attempted to get some paperwork done.

* * *

The LA sky turned dark and the clock vibrantly informed Amelia that her shift has ended and it was time to go home. Eager to get home to Maggie and Abby, she walked quickly to her SUV. _Technically Amanda's truck, but it seems what was Amanda's is mine now. _She thought sad and bitter.

However, it seemed like her night was hardly over for when she strode over to her truck, she found Tuck leaned against it, waiting for her. She didn't want to know how he knew this was her truck.

"Agent Hansen?" She questioned almost breathless.

"We're both of the clock now, Amelia. You may call me Tuck." He told her with a small smile. She said nothing and smile melted away instantly. "I… I'm afraid I've given you the wrong impression about the sort of person I am."

"Oh?" She inquired with a raised brow. She knew she was being unfair and she hated herself a little more for it.

"Yes. I… I'm not the sort of man who… who shares a woman with my best friend." He told her, looking embarrassed and even desperate. "That is not me. Not at all. I just… this whole thing with Lauren… I truly like her. She is a good woman and I would like a future with her. The issue I've always had in my life was that I never fought for what I wanted. I fought for nearly everything else, but not for what I wanted. That's what I'm doing with Lauren now—I'm fighting for her."

Amelia was silent for a long moment after Tuck's confession. She still wasn't entirely approving of the situation, but she could hardly argue with him. She had completely misjudged Tuck and she had done so completely unfairly. She took her own pent up stress out on him, and she was ashamed of herself for it.

"Tuck," His name was soft on her lips and he looked up to her, pushing himself off of the SUV, "Why are you telling me this?"

He looked thoughtful before he licked his full lips and spoke again. "I… I just don't want you to think I'm that sort of man." He was being earnest and Amelia had to wonder why he cared so much what she thought of him. As if he'd read her mind, he continued, "I want to be your friend."

Amelia opened her mouth to say something, but she found she was at a complete loss for words. It seemed Tuck Hansen was a constant surprise to her.

"I know that you want to keep everything professional." He continued and she assumed FDR passed along that bit. "But I don't think there's anything wrong with having a few friends."

She chewed on her bottom lip lightly. She hardly expected any of this. After what happened today in her office, Amelia half expected him to avoid her and be offended. The very last thing she expected was for him to seek her out and try to redeem himself in her eyes and asking for friendship. This was all something so very new to her.

"Alright." She stated suddenly.

Despite himself, Tuck looked surprised. "Alright?"

Amelia nodded and smiled kindly. "Yes, we can be friends. I think that would be nice."

Tuck smiled happily at that. It may be a little pathetic of him to be this joyed over making a friend, especially considering Lauren. But he couldn't help it. Something warm spread inside of him at her acceptance. It had made him feel near sick at the thought of Amelia seeing him as some sort of… well, as FDR.

"Yes, it does sound nice." He repeated stepping away from her truck and closer to her. Even in the dark, he could make out the redness of her cheeks, she blushing at their proximity. He briefly wondered if he hadn't listened to FDR about Amelia desiring for professionalism—what would be happening right now? Would he have ever put his ad on the dating website? Would he, or FDR for that matter, have ever met Lauren? Does it even matter now?

He snapped out of his thoughts when he realized Amelia was speaking to him.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Tuck." She told him almost shyly.

"Yes, see you tomorrow, Amelia. Drive home safe." He said patting her tiny shoulder. Tuck wasn't a tall man, but Amelia Hart practically dwarfed compared to him.

They went their separate ways then, but Tuck watched her drive away until he can no longer see her tail lights as they disappeared in the sea of darkness.

* * *

**A/N**: Okay, so once again, thank you everyone who has reviewed. Seriously, they're very much appreciated and they inspire me to keep going! So in the next few chapters, you'll be learning some more about Amelia's past and her struggles with-well, I don't really want to give too much away. Stay tuned!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _This Means War_ or any of it's characters. I only own the OC's that will be seen and mentioned in this fan fiction.

**Chapter Song:** Push by Matchbox Twenty


	5. Breathe Me

**Not Here For War.**

**Chapter** **5:** _Breathe Me._

A few days had passed since Amelia and Tuck's moment in the parking lot-since their 'friendship' began. And what a friendship it was! He had visited her office many times just for idle chat and to see how she was doing, and since then he's been walking her to her car at the end of her shifts. They talked a lot, but not about anything personal just yet.

Amelia noticed things about Tuck. Things that excited her—like the way a smile would spread across his face so suddenly and the corners of his eyes would crinkle cutely. Then she noticed things that upset her—like when he would get this far away look in his eyes when she mentioned FDR.

She knew that this whole ordeal with Lauren was taking its toll on Tuck and FDR's friendship. Amelia wanted to tell him that it wasn't worth it—that this woman wasn't worth losing your best friend over. But she never felt like it was her place.

Tuck had told her that he never fought for what he wanted before. She felt sorry for him in that aspect. She also recognized that he was an adult and he would make his own decisions no matter what she would say to him.

And who was she to assume that Lauren wasn't worth it? She very well could be. Tuck practically beamed when he talked about her! But still, Amelia saw how negatively this was affecting his friendship with FDR, and she didn't like it. Not one bit.

Even so, the doctor couldn't bring herself to say anything to him. They're in the very beginning stages of their friendship and she didn't want to upset that.

She was mildly content with just letting things go on the way that they were. She still didn't want to get caught up in anyone else's issues.

But that all changed when she bumped into Tuck as she was preparing to leave headquarters, blood trickling down the side of his head.

"Tuck! What happened to you?" She near shrieked striding over to him, concern evident on her features.

Tuck looked appropriately embarrassed and he shifted uncomfortably on his feet. "Ah… just a little mission gone awry. Nothing to worry about."

Amelia hardly believed him. "Why didn't you come to me?" She asked stepping closer to him and inspecting the cut better.

"Well, I knew that you would be leaving soon so I was planning on going to Rosenburg or—"

"Don't be silly." She interrupted, taking his hand into her own. "Come on, let's go get that cleaned up." Her tone demanded no argument as she led him to one of the med labs.

Tuck didn't dare argue, and he tried to ignore the fact that her hand felt so soft within his own. He had the urge to trail his fingers over her skin. He blamed this on the adrenaline rush he had experienced when capturing Ivan, yet he wasn't foolish enough to be unaware of the fact that Amelia is a beautiful woman.

Amelia didn't like worrying. She had enough on her plate. She had two children to worry about—to worry if she was doing what was best for them, if she would be able to help them grow up properly. She didn't want to add Tuck into the mix, but ever since he came to her seeking friendship, she knew he was going to be on her worry list.

And that worry was certainly weighing down on her now as she cleaned the cut on his head. It was irrational, she knew. It was such a small injury and she's very sure that Tuck's had far worse happen to him, but that's what she worried about—the future and what could happen to him then.

Yet she managed to keep her face impassive as she fixed him up. Tuck didn't take his eyes off of her, devouring each of her movements.

"So," she broke the silence as it was deafening to her, "Tell me exactly how this happened." There was a hint of questioning in her tone as if to assure him that she wasn't demanding anything. _Is he even allowed to tell me anything? _She wondered, suddenly regretting speaking.

But Tuck had found a way to give her some answers while still being vague. "FDR and I were going after a 'suspect'. Things got a bit rowdy. There was gunfire, chasing around, and all those lovely things, but we got the guy anyway."

"And how is working with FDR going?" She asked, swiping once more at his cut before grabbing a small bandage.

"We've been working together for years." He responded, a sound of detachment lingering in his tone.

Tearing the package open and gently placing the bandage on his brow, Amelia was close to his face smoothing out the Band-Aid. "That doesn't answer my question, Tuck."

He said nothing for a long moment. He didn't want to admit that he and FDR were beginning to resent each other. They had promised each other that the moment this affected their friendship they would end things with Lauren. That certainly wouldn't be happening now—they were in too deep. They both deeply cared for Lauren. Yet, Tuck felt the unfairness of it all and he supposed Amelia felt it too.

"We're working together just fine." He lied and it was incredibly evident in his voice.

Amelia sighed stepping away from him and crossing her arms over her chest. "Tuck, when you asked to be friends, I assumed it meant we would be honest with each other."

Tuck looked away feeling shamed.

She knew that she was being unfair and prying again. She's hypocritical, she knew that, but she felt affronted for a reason she couldn't comprehend.

"How long ago did you and FDR get back?" She asked suddenly. That question came to her abruptly, and she needed an answer.

"About an hour ago." He muttered still unable to look at her.

She raised an eyebrow. "Why didn't you come to me then?"

"I had to do something else first."

Amelia told herself to let it go. That it was none of her business. That she needed to stop meddling in this man's personal life, despite them being somewhat friends now. She tried to reason that he most likely had to report to Collins or something when returning. But something inside of her told her that wasn't the case and she refused to let it go. She hated herself a little for it.

With a gentle hand, she cupped his cheek and forced him to look at her. Tuck's stormy eyes widened in surprise by the gesture, but he managed to look back into her chestnut eyes.

"Tuck, what were you doing?" She asked firmly, daring him to lie to her.

The agent was stubbornly quiet for a moment. "FDR and I were checking on Lauren." He finally confessed.

"Checking on her?" She started confused. Then it dawned on Amelia and she felt something tighten in her stomach. "You… you're spying on her?"

Tuck didn't say anything and that was enough of an answer for her. Amelia recoiled her hand as if burned and stepped away from him. She was furious. Though she doesn't know Lauren and isn't entirely fond of her due to this situation, the doctor found this to be a massive invasion of the woman's privacy. She's thoroughly disgusted.

"Are you insane?" She seethed. "That has to be breaking so many laws!"

"You think I don't feel horrible about it?" He asked defensively. "I don't like doing this, but I have—"

"No, you don't, Tuck!" Amelia snapped. "You don't have to spy on someone to win their affection. It's wrong and even if you do win the girl in the end, it's going to be based on a lie."

Tuck's eyes snapped on hers, burning with a fury. "Oh, and you're such an expert on relationships then, Doctor?"

He swore that hadn't meant to sound so harsh. He was frustrated with the whole ordeal and he was taking it out on Amelia. She looked utterly affronted and the shame that was already boiling in his stomach grew, but he didn't apologize. He was too proud and frustrated at the moment.

"You know what?" Amelia broke the uncomfortable silence, looking defeated. "I don't think this friendship thing is going to work out."

Tuck frowned deeply and he oddly felt panicked. "We've hardly even tried. Amelia, friends have fights and—"

"I know that." She interrupted sternly. "I know how friendships work. I've had friends before—I have friends, Tuck! I just… I don't approve at all with what you are doing with Lauren. I'm forming a pretty bad judgment of your character and I know that isn't fair, but I'm sorry, I just can't do this. I have enough on my plate." She spoke quickly and she left the room just as swiftly, not daring to look back.

Tuck watched as the door to the exam room slammed shut. Though he understood what he and FDR were doing with Lauren was quite ridiculous and out of the norm, he was beyond confused with Amelia's reaction. He didn't understand why this had such an effect on her.

He thought that maybe she was right though. Maybe a friendship wasn't ever going to work between them. That left a terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach, but he ignored it. He had to ignore it. He couldn't start developing any deeper feelings for this woman, whether it be for want of a friendship or something more. He had one week to win over Lauren and that's what he'd put his attention to.

* * *

Amelia cried for the first time since being told of sister's death.

She had driven home tensely, apologized profusely to Martha for being late, put the girls to bed, and then climbed into her bed in the guest room (she refused to sleep in the master bedroom). She cried into the pillows. She cried until could hardly breathe anymore.

She had cried when she received the phone call about Amanda's death. She had silently cried some on the plane, but the moment she stepped foot in LA, all the tears vanished and all the responsibilities of Amanda's life was put on her shoulders. The moment she stepped foot off the plan everything became about Maggie and Abby. Her uncle James took care of preparing Amanda's wake and funeral.

Now it dawned on her all over again—her sister was dead and Amelia was taking over her life.

It's not that Amelia minded—or rather that she didn't want to mind it. She would do anything for Amanda and the girls. But she hardly felt like herself anymore. She gave up her life for them without a second thought, and now it was beginning to take its toll on her.

She supposed the ordeal with Tuck opened her eyes to it because she wanted him. Whether it was she wanted him for friendship or something more, she didn't know, but she knew that she wanted him somehow. Yet she felt the need to hold back. Even if Lauren weren't in the picture, she still wouldn't be able to be with him. She couldn't bring herself to date anyone—because who was she kidding? She would love to date Tuck—right now, and probably not for a long time.

So why couldn't she even be friends with him? Despite the ordeal with FDR and Lauren, Amelia knew that Tuck was a good person. He was strong, kind, and polite. Perhaps that's why she didn't want to be friends with him. It scared her. Those butterflies that fluttered around in her stomach when he was nearby. She hardly knew him and she hoped the less she knew him that feeling in her stomach would disappear in time. He would break her heart without even meaning to, and she would break his all the same.

She didn't feel like Amelia Hart anymore. She was alone and she was going to stay alone by her own stupid choice.

She doesn't go to sleep until the wee hours in the morning, tears stained on her pillowcase.

In the later morning, Amelia woke up by Maggie shoving at her. For a moment, she worried that they were late for school, but then she remembered that it was Saturday. She blinked a few times, Maggie's curious face becoming clearer in her view.

"Mmm. What is it, Maggie?" She muttered, voice still drowsy with sleep.

"Aunt Amelia, it's the afternoon." The little girl said, sounding older to Amelia than she should.

"Oh."

"And Big Uncle James is on the phone." She continued, holding up the phone to her aunt.

Amelia blinked again and took the phone. She watched Maggie scurry out of the room before sitting up on the bed and putting the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

"Just wake up, sweetheart?" Her uncle James' voice was rough yet jolly when he spoke.

James Hart was the brother of Amelia's mother. Despite living all the way in Texas, he's always been there for his family. Always calling to check in on them and visiting when he could take off work at the factory. When Amanda passed away, he stayed in LA with Amelia and the girls for as long as he could until he had to return to Texas to his job.

Her uncle James had been a constant in Amelia's life—he helped her through deaths and devastations, and she's sure she would have shattered a long time ago if it weren't for him.

"Yeah," She croaked. She cleared her throat and spoke again, "I had a pretty rough night."

"I know, I felt it." He said and Amelia resisted the urge to roll her eyes. James was a bit spiritual. He always said he could 'feel' when his family was in trouble. He had told her that when her mother died, he woke up crying. He said he did the same with Amanda. Amelia wasn't so sure how much of that she could believe, no matter how much she loved her uncle—she had never been a very 'spiritual' person. "What happened, honey?"

Amelia ran a hand through her messy hair and tried not to sigh. "I don't want to talk about it."

A moment of silence passed on the other end of the line. "Are you having man troubles?"

She groaned. "Uncle James…"

"Do you need me to come there?" He asked seriously and Amelia very much knew that if she told him some guy was bothering her, he would be on the first flight to LA.

"No, uncle James, you don't need to come here. I'm just… having a personal crisis, I think." She responded unsure of herself.

"Tell me about it." He demanded in a tone that left no room for arguments.

"Uncle James, I really don't—"

"Amelia Francesca Hart, you better start telling me what's going on or I really am coming over there."

Amelia sighed and gave in. She told him all about her bottled up feelings on this whole ordeal with the girls, with Abby still not speaking to anyone outside herself and Maggie, with how she felt like she was taking over Amanda's life, with how she didn't much feel like herself anymore, and even a little bit about Tuck (though she completely left out the part about Lauren). She told him how the weight of it all was finally becoming too much to hold on to.

"Oh, sweetheart." James said solemnly from the other line.

Amelia didn't know when she had started crying again, but she felt the warm tears roll down her cheeks and she couldn't stop them. "I don't know what to do, uncle James." She said in a small voice, and she felt like a little child again.

"You're putting too much on your shoulders, Amelia. You don't have to give up everything to be Maggie and Abby's guardian."

"But I've already given up everything."

"Amelia, you gave up what you had in DC, and I understand how difficult that is especially considering the circumstances, but that doesn't mean you have to give up who you are or what you enjoy for the sake of the girls. That's not what Amanda would have wanted." He told her in a stern yet soft tone.

She covered her mouth as a sob rose in her throat. She knew Amanda would be upset. She knew that if Amanda could feel anything right now, it would be regret for putting her sister through this. If Amelia could, she would tell Amanda that she didn't put her through this, that she was putting herself through it, because she didn't know how to cope.

"Have you considered going to therapy? You remember what happened after your mother passed… I had to practically force you into therapy." James suggested, weary to be bringing it up in the first place. He realized that his niece was in a fragile state at the moment.

Amelia shook her head and wiped her eyes. "I don't have time for therapy. I have two chil—"

"I understand that, but you also need to take care of yourself. Throughout all of this you've only had your mind on the girls, which is good to an extent, but you can't forget about yourself, sweetheart." Her uncle's voice is soft, but she heard the clear worry in it as well. She practically drowned in it.

Amelia rested her head in her palm and she tried to control her breathing. "I have to go, uncle James. I have to go feed and check on the girls."

She thought she heard him sigh deeply. "Alright. Just consider the therapy things, okay? You're not gonna be doing those girls or yourself any good if you're having panic attacks."

"I will."

"And Amelia, you know that if you need any held, you call me. I'll drop everything in the world for you." James told her earnestly and she did feel a bit relieved though guilt lingered with that as well.

"I know, uncle James, thank you. I'll talk to you soon."

After hanging up, Amelia felt a little better. Her uncle, her savior—he always managed to make her feel better when she was at her worst. She knew he made a point about her putting too much on herself. She always had.

She never handled death well either. When her mother passed away, it was when she had just graduated from college. Amelia fell into a depression that nearly destroyed her career before it even began. Her uncle James came in before it became much worse and convinced her to get help. She had been put on anti-depressants and had gotten better within a year. She had put most of her focus on her career then, and eventually she was able to have a normal social life again.

Amelia was beginning to feel those same effects of her mother's passing recently. She hadn't wanted to admit it. She didn't want Maggie and Abby to have a depressed person taking care of them. They deserved normality in their life. But her uncle was right—no good would come from keeping this bottled up inside.

With a new resolve, Amelia got out of bed, washed up, got dressed, and head down stairs to the girls. She stopped in her tracks when she found them with Martha.

"Martha, what are you doing here?" She asked, stepping into the dining room as he girls munched on their lunch.

The babysitter smiled kindly. "Maggie actually called me."

Amelia was thoroughly shocked. "She did?"

"Yeah, come over here and have something to eat." Martha motioned for Amelia to join her at the island.

Amelia did so with a small frown. She sat at the counter and Martha handed her a sandwich and a glass of water. The doctor silently thanked her, and before she was about to bite into her lunch, Martha spoke again.

"Maggie called me at about ten thirty this morning. She said you hadn't woken up yet and that she heard you crying last night."

She froze up at the blonde woman's words and set her sandwich down.

"I… I'm sorry about that, Martha." She said meekly. She hadn't realized she cried so loud that the girls heard and a deep shame instilled in her then. She could only imagine what her nieces thought of her now.

Martha gently rested her hand on Amelia's causing the younger woman to look her in the eyes. "When my husband passed away, I fell into a terrible depression. It was bad. I had become suicidal. I almost hung myself in front of my ten year old son." She said in a hushed tone, mindful of the girls eating at the table close by. Amelia looked into Martha's sad cornflower blue eyes and she almost felt like crying again. "What I'm trying to say is that this is the toughest path to go down—to lose the most important person in your life but still have all the responsibilities in the world. I'm here to help you, Amelia. You're not alone."

Amelia was touched by Martha's words and she also felt a deep sorrow for the woman. She had no idea about this. She knew Martha was a single mother, but she had assumed it was divorce. Now the woman was opening up to her about that tragic part of her life.

"Martha," She stood and hugged the other woman, "thank you so much."

Martha hugged Amelia in return and rubbed her back soothingly. "There's no need to thank me. I'm here to help and whenever you're feeling too pressured or overwhelmed, do not hesitate to call me." She said backing up and took Amelia's face into her gentle hands. "You've got a lot of people who care about you and the girls—people who would drop everything to help you—don't be afraid to ask for help. You're not alone."

Despite herself, Amelia tears stung in her eyes, but she smiled too. "I'm beginning to realize that now. This has all just been… pretty hard, and I don't think I realized that until recently."

"Honey, I know it's difficult. I can only imagine all the things going through your mind. You weren't prepared for any of this." Martha reasoned touching Amelia's hair. Warmth spread within the doctor as she recognized the maternal care in Martha's eyes. "You haven't had the time to properly grieve your sister. But you need to know that I'm not just here for the girls, I'm here for you too."

Amelia wiped away a tear that inevitably escaped from her eye. She realized something suddenly—Martha was her best friend. She rarely received calls from her friends in DC and she understood that they were busy, but it's been radio silence for about three months now. When she first came to LA they called almost everyday to check on her and then those calls eventually faded into nothing. Martha was a constant in her life now. Always there with a kind smile and an eagerness to help. It would have been a little sad, but Amelia only saw it as a blessing. Martha was a blessing.

She looked back to the girls eating and she was suddenly struck with awe. Maggie knew what to do when she saw that her aunt was in a dilemma. She took matters into her young hands and she did good—especially for an eight-year-old girl.

Maggie took care of her family too, and Amelia realized that she's been a fool this whole time. She certainly wasn't in this alone—even her eight-year-old niece was very prepared to help in anyway her young self could. Though it saddened her a bit, it also made Amelia proud that Maggie knew how to take care of her family when an issue arose.

Finishing off her sandwich, Amelia walked over to the girls and kissed them both on the head. "I'm so proud of you, sweetheart." She whispered to Maggie.

"I love you, aunt Amelia." Her niece whispered back.

"I love you too."

She was amazed how wise a child could be. _I've greatly underestimated them_, she thought as she exited the house and onto the back patio to make a phone call. She needed to fix something.

* * *

When Tuck went to answer his phone, he was shocked to see Amelia's name on the caller ID. They had exchanged numbers the other day, but after last night he wasn't expecting to ever hear from the woman again.

"Hello?" He answered and he knew he sounded uncertain, as if this were some mistake on her part.

"Hi, Tuck," came Amelia's timid voice on the other line. "I'm not catching you at a bad time, am I?"

"Um, no… no, you're not." He replied still unsure of what was happening. "Is there something I can help you with?"

He heard her sigh. "No. I, uh… I just wanted to apologize for last night. It was uncalled for and I was out of line. I'm sure I seem like a complete crazy person to you. I'm just in a really bad place right now. My… my sister passed away five months ago."

"Amelia," he interrupted, "you don't have to tell me anything."

"It's okay." She said softly. "I want to tell you."

For some reason, that sent a thrill up Tuck's spine. Not over the news that she was going to tell him, but because Amelia trusted him enough to open up to him about a tragic part of her life. He sat on his couch and settled. "Alright." He said for her to continue.

Amelia was silent for a long moment on the other end. Tuck thought that she may have changed her mind, but in a soft tone again, she spoke, "My sister and her husband died in a car accident five months ago. I moved here to LA from DC because they named me their children's guardian in their will. It's been… it's been very difficult for me. I love my nieces, but I just… I feel unfit to be their mother, not that I'm trying to be. I feel unfit to take care of them." She poured out suddenly and Tuck felt sorry for her. He hadn't realized how much that affected her and he felt like a fool to think that it didn't. "I've been beginning to see how much this is affecting me in such negative ways. I've been keeping all of these emotions bottled up and last night I think was the boiling point for me, and I am so sorry I took it out on you."

"It's alright," was his automatic reply. Though he had been upset over the ordeal, Tuck found that he had already forgiven her and that he was never really angry to begin with.

"No, Tuck, it's not alright. It wasn't fair of me and I shouldn't have done it." She sounded upset with herself and Tuck wanted that to stop. He didn't want Amelia to be upset over this—it was so unimportant compared to everything else she's going through. "Um, if… if you would still like to be friends, I would like that. Though I feel it's fair to warn you that I'm a mess and I'm still grieving. I can't promise… that something like last night won't happen again. And I'd completely understand if you didn't want to start all over again with me."

There was a short silence then. Tuck honestly had no idea what to say. She had opened up to him about her troubles. She was then apologizing to him about her behavior, but wasn't asking for forgiveness. And she wasn't making any promises, but she still wanted to be friends.

There was something small in the back of his mind telling him to let Amelia go—that she wasn't worth the time and effort, and he needed to keep his mind on Lauren. He spoke without thinking, "Of course I still want to be your friend, Amelia. Like I said last night, friends get into fights. As far as I'm concerned, the friendship never ended."

Tuck thought he heard her sigh in relief, but he smiled when he was sure he heard her laugh softly. "Thank you, Tuck."

"There's no need to thank me."

"I'll see you on Monday, Tuck. And once again, I'm sorry."

"Please, stop apologizing." He demanded kindly. "I will see you on Monday, love. Take care of yourself."

"I'll certainly try to."

* * *

**A/N:** Well, my friends, I certainly apologize for the lateness in this update! But here, I gave you a bit of a longer chapter than the previous chapters... and some drama! And don't worry there will be plenty of more drama in the coming chapters. I'm afraid to say that I don't know how long it will take me to update, because I'm going to be going on vacation this coming week and I have the next chapter only somewhat halfway finished. But hang in there! I am not giving up on this story. Please, feel free to review-feedback is wonderful and helps motivate me!

_Oh!_ And looky-looky, I've given this story a cover photo!

**EDIT:** I just quickly fixed some spelling errors and added a few things because I had forgotten to read this over before posting it! D:

Also! I forgot to mention that James Hart's faceclaim would be Jeff Bridges!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _This Means War_ or any of it's characters. I only own the OC's that will be seen and mentioned in this fan fiction.

**Chapter Song:** Breathe Me by Sia


	6. Breathe In, Breathe Out

**Not Here For War.**

**Chapter 6:** _Breathe In, Breathe Out._

Monday came along with Amelia feeling refreshed and relaxed. Over the weekend she had spoken with her uncle James via telephone, spent time with the girls and even Martha, had contacted a good therapist that Martha had suggested, and she even exchanged some texts with Tuck. It was nice, but she very well knew that it didn't mean everything was better. She still had a long way to go.

And she would survive this. She promised herself that she would for her girls and for herself.

So she walked into HQ today with her held high and smile gracing her red polished lips.

"Dr. Hart!"

Amelia swiftly turned, her high ponytail slapping her cheek as she did so. Her smile grew when Agent Maria Vega greeted her. Maria was a Latina agent standing at a short five foot three inches. Though the other woman was only an inch taller than Amelia, the doctor was quite sure the woman before her could destroy half—maybe even most—of the male agents who weighed twice as much as her. But Maria was one of the nicest people that she's met here.

"Agent Vega, how can I help you today?"

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Maria?" The agent asked amused.

"Only a few more hundred times. Give me a break, I'm still getting used to working with CIA agents." Amelia replied, grinning.

Maria shook her head. "You're so professional. Don't worry, we'll wear you down at some point." She joked, patting Amelia on the shoulder. "Look, I'm going to be doing a self defense session Wednesday night if you're interested. It'll mainly be the newer trainees and non-agents there so we'll be going a slow beginners pace."

Amelia considered it and nodded. "I'll see if I can get the babysitter to watch the girls late that day and I'll let you know tomorrow."

"Alright, sounds good. I really hope that you can make it. I'll see you around."

With that, the two women went their separate ways.

Amelia didn't stay in her office for long today. She was in Medical mostly, taking care of injured agents until her lunch break. She had wanted to stay and continue working, but Dr. Rosenburg—or rather, Henry was what he told her to start calling him—practically forced her out of HQ to fetch something to eat.

She was nearly out the door when someone called out to her. Her smile was instant at the sight of Tuck hastily walking over to her.

"Hello, Tuck." She greeted, wondering if she looked as happy as she felt.

Tuck was practically grinning from ear to ear. "Good afternoon, Amelia. Where are you off to?"

"Oh, I'm off for lunch. Kinda sick of cafeteria food so I'm heading out to find a place." She explained as she tried desperately not to ogle him. She found that black t-shirt to be deliciously fitting on him, and she was mildly mortified to have such a thought about him. _You are hot-blooded woman, Amelia Hart. You are allowed to notice when there is an attractive male before you. _She mentally scolded herself.

"It's a good thing I caught you then. I was about to have lunch as well. Would you like to join me? I could show you some good spots." He suggested.

"That sounds great, actually." She replied not missing a beat. Normally she would have hesitated but she didn't quite want to do that anymore.

"Lovely," Tuck replied and held the door open for her. "After you, doctor."

Amelia laughed softly, nodding her thanks.

They ended up walking to this deli Tuck suggested. It was only a few blocks away from HQ; though she still felt a dull ache in her high heel donned feet. They talked about a lot of things over their sandwiches and drinks. Currently the topic was their children.

"So, now Maggie wants to play soccer and sign ups are next week." Amelia conversed and sipped on her water.

"That sounds like an excellent idea to me. Sports are good for kids." Tuck responded, taking the last bite of his sandwich.

"I know that. I'm… I'm still reluctant though." She admitted and he raised his scarred eyebrow.

"Why's that?" He asked after he swallowed his last bite.

"Because… this is going to sound silly, but with my schedule, I'd miss all or most of her games. I don't want her to be that kid whose parents aren't at the game." That sounded strange to her own ears, because she knew damn well that Maggie's parents never actually would attend one of her games.

A deep frown suddenly settled on her face and Tuck immediately noticed. Gently, he rested his hand atop hers and her eyes snapped on his. He smiled softly.

"In the end, that's not what it's about. In the end it's about the children and them maintaining some normalcy." He explained. "It's wonderful when we're able to attend, the kids love it, but even when we can't be there, they'll still be children having a good time. There's no need to stress over it, your kids are still going to love you and enjoy themselves."

Amelia actually smiled, feeling more relaxed now. The feeling of sadness and regret faded away swiftly. "You're right." She agreed.

He patted her hand. "I know that I am."

"Oh, now don't be modest, Tuck." She joked, a grin playing at her lips. "Does Joe play any sports?"

"Yes. Karate." He answered downing some of his iced tea.

"Ah, a fighting young man, huh?"

"He tries to be. He definitely tries to be." Tuck sighed and Amelia frowned, looking at him imploringly. "His… his coach is a bit of a whacko. Honestly, he's too intense for seven year olds. I know that he's built for it, but he holds back a lot. He let's people overpower him."

"Why do you think he does that?" She asked, head tilted slightly to the side.

Tuck scratched his brow. "I suppose it's because I do it."

"You do it?" Amelia questioned skeptically. She found it hard to believe that Tuck allowed anyone to overpower him.

"It would be out of the norm for a travel agent to beat the crap out of anyone who messed with them." He replied, chuckling softly.

She felt sorry for him. Yes, this was part of the job—needing to lie to protect the people around him, but she imagined it was stressful for him to be someone he wasn't, and to watch it affect his son.

"Alright, lunch break is almost over." Tuck's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Best we start heading back."

Amelia nodded in agreement, rising from her seat and grabbing her wallet so she could pay for her meal. Tuck's hand on her wrist stopped her. "I already paid for it."

"You what? Oh, Tuck, you didn't have to do that." She admonished, putting her wallet back into her bag.

"It's in my nature, love." He replied shrugging.

"Fine, but next time _I'm_ paying for you." She told him firmly as they began their trek back to HQ.

He grinned cheekily. "Don't know if I can allow that, dear."

"Oh, you'll allow it, _darling_. Otherwise, you'll have to deal with an angry doctor, and trust me, we can certainly be deadly." Tuck laughed and she frowned at him. "Don't laugh! We're experts on the human body. You'd be surprised with how many ways we know how to hurt a person."

"Should I be worried about you, Dr. Hart?" He asked in a serious tone, but there was mirth in his eyes.

Amelia smiled slyly, suddenly feeling much better than she had in a long while. "You just might have to be."

* * *

"You enjoy lunch, Tuck?"

Tuck glanced over to FDR as he entered the office and went to sit at his own desk. His partner was leaned back in his chair, feet propped up on his desk. There was an expression mixed of sourness and amusement on his face. He raised a scarred brow at him.

"Yes, it was nice." He replied warily.

FDR nodded not saying anything else for a long moment. Still confused, Tuck started up his computer and prepared to work.

"And how about the good doctor, did she enjoy her lunch?"

Tuck tensed instantly and brought his attention back on his partner. FDR and Tuck stated each other down. Bright blue eyes and stormy ones bored harshly into each other. Neither said anything and the room turned into a dead silence.

It was FDR who spoke. "So, does this mean you're finished with Lauren?"

"Just because I had lunch with a friend doesn't mean I no longer want to be with Lauren." Tuck replied in a steely tone.

"I thought Dr. Hart didn't want any non-professional relationships."

"Perhaps she said that so you would back off. You have that issue—not backing off."

FDR's jaw clenched. "It seems you have that issue too."

The two men glared at each other. It was plain to see they were going against their own rules of this 'Gentleman's Agreement', though they were hardly following it to begin with. They both realized that, and they both knew they were in too deep at this point. They both cared about Lauren too much to give up.

So, with nothing else to say, the two grumbled and went back to work.

* * *

**A/N: **Sincerest apologies for the wait and the shortness of this chapter, my lovely readers! Honestly, this turned into a filler chapter. I planned on doing more with it-like I was planning on doing another Amelia and FDR scene, but what I had planned for that just didn't seem to make sense with how I intend to go with this story. I do promise that the next chapter will be longer and it will be more meaningful!

Also, after I posted the last chapter I edited it a bit and stated that James Hart's faceclaim is **Jeff Bridges**. And to answer one of guest reviewers, you're right, I never did give faceclaims to Amanda or her husband. Amanda would actually be **Nora Zehetner** (look at her and Rachel Bilson and tell me that they couldn't play siblings!), and her husband Richard I was thinking **Ryan Kwanten**. Oh yes! And I can't forget the new character I've introduced, Maria Vega. Her faceclaim is Colombian actress **Danna García**.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own _This Means War_ or any of it's characters. I only own the OC's that will be seen and mentioned in this fan fiction.

**Chapter Song**: Breathe In, Breathe Out by Mat Kearney


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